Rant on romance in FMA

[dragonimp]

I'm thinking Arakawa shouldn't tackle romance. The only ones that work are the ones that happened in the past - meaning we see the happy couple, not what led up to it. Trisha/Hohenheim, Izumi/Sig, Maes/Gracia - and Roy/Maes. The ones she's trying to do within the series - eehhhh.

I'm not saying this because I'm anti EdWin - most people have relationships that aren't good for them, teenagers are notorious for it - or anti Royai. Both of those would have been perfectly fine, except that she's mangled the characters in favor of the 'ship. I buy Winry's feelings for Ed, but Ed, damn it, falls out of character every time his supposed "feelings" show up, right from the first "Oh, she's cute when she's submissive" moment. Plus, whenever he comforts Winry, a prime moment to showcase hidden feelings, it's damn near identical to how he comforts Al. Which tells me that the affection he feels for Winry is more brotherly than anything else.

Royai gets a double blow. Roy treats her no differently than his other subordinates, which is actually a shame considering how long they've known each other. There's been no hint of deeper feelings on Roy's side, unless you also want to admit (even stronger) evidence for Roy/Havoc and - of course - Roy/Maes. Riza, poor thing, falls out of character and completely loses her edge, the prime example being her giving up once Lust tells her Roy is dead. The fact that the Royai shippers have been even worse than the yaoi shippers for reading in subtext every time they have two seconds together in a panel is pretty telling.

The only ongoing romance I can think of that's believable is Ross/Broche, and I'm starting to think it's because we don't ever see them.

Okay. Rant over.

Comments

[greedy-lover.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Well I like Roy/Riza but yeah >< (though that fan that can't find any roy/riza doujin? well they have most of the fandom too but are mad about that? >_>) There are some bad yaoi fans and the bad het fans and they should all be sent to a corner of the fandom together XD My thing is, it was also in that fma meme. the fan is an Ed/Win one bbut said this: (well as close to as he can)

ED PROMISED AL THAT AL COULD EAT WINRY'S APPLE PIE! ED SAID NOTHING ABOUT HIMSELF! DON"T READ INTO EVERYTHING

And I'm an Ed/in shipper

I found that amusing XDD But it's true :/

We weren't all screaming how Roy said ED instead of fullmetal when Ed disappeared yet refered to Riza by her rank when her neck was cut.

Until Roy and Riza and Ed/Win are actually couples, it's fanon to me, CAUSE IT DID/.HAS NOT HAPPENED and that's what some of the het fans need to realize

Dited: the face I have no tears about Ed/WIn as you know XD

[dragonimp.livejournal.com]

The best we can say about canon is that there's some one-sided Winry/Ed, and some one-sided (though poorly done) Riza/Roy. That certainly does not a couple make. At least most yaoi shippers realize their 'ship isn't canon know when they're reading into things (most ^^; like you said, there are annoying fans in every subset).

I realized my like of Roy/Riza came from the (first) anime. The manga kinda soured me with the way Riza loses her edge, and then the rabid Royai fans finished the job. I still have a fondness for post-anime Roy/Riza (and Roy/Riza/Ed) - but not from the manga.

[greedy-lover.livejournal.com]

Exactly. In the manga, when either said couple are in a scene together, it's so mushy and that is just so out of place, well unless it's Hughes and Gracia. If they would be mushy at the end, yes I can see it but not when it's shoved down our throats either

My ship is only canon to me in my head XD But yes, while there are het hints, that's all there are, hints.